February Monthly Meeting
“Conservation in Galapagos: Protecting the Galapagos Hawk”
Presented by Julia Ponder, D.V.M. Executive Director, The Raptor Center
One of the most famous destinations in the world of birding is the Galapagos Islands. Spectacular birds abound, including the regal Galapagos Hawks. Unfortunately, for many years, invasive species have plagued these famous islands, putting the native bird and animal populations at risk. Recently, a pilot project was undertaken to remove invasive, non-native rodents to protect the native species. Because the Galapagos hawks were identified as at risk for secondary, non-target mortality, The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota was asked to lead a plan to protect them during the project.
Julia Ponder will tell us about the precarious balance faced by native island populations, the challenges of a massive rodent eradication project and the novel efforts used to protect the incredible hawks. We will learn about what happened during the project and the results. Take a virtual trip with us to this amazing place where Darwins theory of evolution took shape.
For this ambitious project, the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation partnered with various organizations including The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. Medical supplies for the hawk mitigation were provided by the 3M Foundation.
For more information about the project and island restoration, you can visit these partner websites:
Everyone is invited to this free Saint Paul Audubon program on Thursday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Fairview Community Center, 1910 West County Road B in Roseville, just west of Fairview Avenue. The event is open to the public with free parking. A social time with refreshments begins at 6:45. For more information, call Linda Goodspeed at 651-647-1452.